Tobacco smoking restrictions are going to be expanded and enforced in the PalaceMuseum of the Forbidden City, Beijing, according a story by Xie Wenting for the Global Times.

In the past, smoking was banned only in areas open to tourists while staff could smoke in their offices.

But in the future, both employees and visitors will be liable to fines if they are found to be smoking.

Although Beijing instituted a ban on smoking in historic sites in 2008 and banned smoking in all public places in 2011, neither ban is well-enforced, said Yang Jie, of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Zeng Yizhi, of the International Committee of Monuments and Sites in China, said it was necessary to ban smoking in the entire complex because the museum had many wooden structures and precious cultural relics, including silk and papers, all of which were at risk of fire.